Officials are keeping their eye on Lake Erie after a strong wind warning was issued Tuesday.

According to the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority, peak winds, waves and water levels are expected Wednesday evening and Thursday morning.

Winds are expected to peak in the evening with sustained wind speeds above 40 km/h and gusts of up to 65 km/h.

Winds are expected to switch to the south Thursday morning with sustained wind speeds between 30 and 35 km/h.

Lake levels are beginning this month above the record high monthly average for May.

The sustained winds from the east throughout the day Wednesday could raise lake levels in the Rondeau Bay area an additional 10 to 20 cm. Waves on the lake are forecasted to reach two metres in height by Wednesday evening.

“Over the next few days, strong winds will be driving waves onto our Lake Erie shoreline in Chatham-Kent and Elgin County,” the authority stated. “There is a risk that wave action could damage shoreline protection works and cause shoreline erosion.”

There could also be flooding on the bay side of Erieau to a greater extent than that observed last week, the conservation authority added. There could be flooding in other communities around Rondeau Bay such as Shrewsbury, Rondeau Bay Estates, Rose Beach Line and Erie Shore Drive, as well as in flood-prone areas further west around Wheatley.

“The high bluff areas of the shoreline will be subject to wave action for the entire period,” the conservation authority stated. “Residents along the Lake Erie shoreline should pay attention to local conditions and prepare accordingly.